Lecture Theatre U020, Brockington Building

The first half of this talk takes us to the Pantanal, the world's greatest wetland, looking at the wide variety of birds and mammals to be found there, including some dramatic footage of a unique jaguar hunt. The second half moves north to the savannah lands of the high Cerrado and in particular the wildlife to be found in the little known Chapada dos Guimeres national park.

John's talks not only bring to life the wildlife of each area but also discusses the wider environmental issues and threats to that wildlife in an increasingly hostile world.

Brought up on the Romney Marsh in Kent John is an amateur naturalist and photographer who feels very lucky in having been able to travel widely and visit many of the world's wildlife hot spots. Preferring to explore as much as possible on foot these include trekking in Borneo's remote jungles, an island where he and his wife Susanne have made four extended visits, sleeping under the stars in the Namib desert, walking though the bush in South Africa's Hluhulwe-Imfolozi reserve with lions making nightly visits to the tented camp and doing the same in India's Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary with tigers and elephants a real threat.

In 1972 he and Susanne spent two weeks camping on the uninhabited island of Lunga, Scotland where they were able to confirm the nesting of manx shearwaters and storm petrels. Other countries visited include Japan, Vietnam, Canada, the USA, mainland Malaysia and Brazil, along with nearly every country in Europe. All of this while managing a busy SME, chairing a British Standard Committee and bringing up a family of two daughters. "

We get the best speakers and also have one of the best lecture theatres on the university campus - tiered padded seats. wheelchair access and a sound system with a hearing loop - it is of more than adequate size for our audience, which gives everybody that bit of extra space.

For details of all the other group activities please go to the group's website.

Price: £3.50 local group members £4.00 for non-members, LU student gratis with SU card